Machine and method for making valve bags



q. GILMAN 2,687,066

11 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARZFS 61L MAN Aug. 24, 1954 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE; BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 Aug. 24, 1954 c. GILMAN 2,637,066

MACHINE AND memos FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARL ES GIL MAN.

$475M ATTORNEY ATTORNE K Aug. 24, 1954 c. GILMAN MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26. 1951 Aug; 24, 1954 c. .GILMAN MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTOR. CHAPZZS (MM/91V BY y HTI'ORNE).

Aug. 24, 1954 m 2,687,066

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. (M41?! 55 6/! MAN.

4, 1954 c. GILMAN 2,687,066

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. 01 4215: G/LMAN Plaza. y

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 24, 1954 c. GILMAN 2,637,066

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. (l-MRZl-S GIL MAN 'ATTORNEK fi- 24, 1954 c. GILMAN MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 WW Q g NN 6E INVENTOR. (HRH F5 6/1 MAN ATTORNEY 'Aug. 24, 1954 c. GILMAN MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 iv mw INVENTOR. CHARLES GT/ZMAN. BY

ArrOE/VEX g 24, 1954 c. GILMAN 2,687,066

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 10 IN V EN TOR. HARL E5 GILM/W. BY

HTI'ORNEY.

g- 954 6 c. GILMAN MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Filed June 26, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR. Cf-MRZ 55 6/! l MAM W iTZ'Q/E'NEX Patented Aug. 24, 1954 ass sts UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING VALVE BAGS Charles Gilman, New York, N. Y., assignor to Kraft Bag Corporation, New'York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 1951, Serial No. 233,628

4; Claims.

current of air to flow outwardly through the valve aiidthe valve is so arranged that it is caught by the air current and thereby caused to close. The bag is now ready for storage or shipment.

All valve bags known to applicant are provided with gussets or inwardly turned folds along their respective side edges. The valve is formed at thetop of one of said gussets or folds. Valve bags without side gussets or folds have heretofore been unknown.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a gussetless valve bag of the character described.

It is another principal object of this invention to provide a machine for making gussetless valve bags from tubular stock. Valve bags are generally, perhaps invariably, made of paper inseveral layers 01 plies. In the initial stages of making valve ba s of the character under discussion, long, multiwalled or multi-plied tubes are formed, and these tubes are then out to predetermined lengths. Each length becomes a bag. It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a machine which iscapable of making valve bags from these predetermined lengths of multi-walled or multiplied paper tubing.

It is a corollary object of this invention to prop vide a method of making gussetless valve bags from these predetermined lengths of multi-walled or multi-plied paper tubing. This method comprisesthe steps of closing off the two ends of eachlength of tubing and at the sametime forming thevalve in one of said closed ends.

Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a machine for making gussetless valve bags in accordance with the pres"- ent invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the predetermined lengths of multi-walled paper tubing out of which a single gussetless valve bag in accordance with this invention may be made.

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. iis a view similar to thatof Fig. 3,but showing an additional step in the progress of making the gussetless valve bag, said step com prising the formation of atransversecrease line or folding line in said predetermined length of tubing.

Fig. 5 is another plan view, showing a further step in the process of making the bag, said step comprising the folding over of one side wall of sa d length of tubing on the folding line shown in Fig. 4, and simultaneously therewith, the folding over of the two corners of the top end of said length of tubing. 7

Fig. 6 is a View similar to that of Fig. 5, showingstill another step inthe process of making the bag, said step comprising the provision of a transverse crease adjacentone of the foldedcorners of the tube.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6, showing the next step in the process of making the bag, saidstep comprising the affixing of a valve flap to said folded and creased corner of the tube.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further step in the bagmaking process; wherein the folded side of the tube is brought back into superimposed position relative to the unfolded side of the tube and wherein the folded but uncreased corner of the tube issimultaneously opened up into unfolded position.

Fig. 9 illustrates the final step in the making of the bag, wherein both endsof the bag are closed nent of the bag-making machine which receives,

opens and feeds the paper tubes to the other operative parts or sections of the machine.

Fig; 15 is a similar view showing the first section or componentof the machinein a diiferent position; between tube feeding operations.

Fig. 16 is a section through the same component of the machine; showing the gripping means by which the top end of the tube is opened up preparatory to the folding operations which follow.

Fig. 17 is a" view similar'tothat of Fig. 16, showingoneof the gripping elementsin retracted position;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional View, showing the other of the gripping elements in open or inoperative position.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the same components shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, showing the tube in process of being opened up at the top preparatory to the folding operation, resulting in the stage illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 20 is a similar view, showing the tube being opened still further and showing the top corners of the tube, beginning to fold inwardly.

Fig. 21 is still another similar view, showing the top of the tube completely opened up and showing a pair of pressure fingers completing the operation of folding over the top of one side wall of the tube.

Fig. 22 is a top view of the mechanism and stage of operations shown in Fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating the second section or component of the machine wherein the final pressing or creasing operation takes place in order to produce the result illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 24 is a sectional view on the line 242 i of Fig. 23.

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary sectional view, illustrating the third section or component of the machine wherein the creasing operation illus trated in Fig. 6 takes place. I

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the crease-making step which is illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 27 is a sectional view through the fourth section or component of the machine, wherein the valve fiap is cut and secured to the tube, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 28 is a sectional view on the line 28-48 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 29 shows the valve actuating means for controlling the fiow of compressed air to the valve flap applying means and to the tube opening means which produces the condition shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 30 is a fragmentary view, illustrating the fifth section or component of the machine, wherein the folded side of the tube is lifted into unfolded position, as illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 31 shows a second position of said lifting means.

Fig. 32 shows a third. position of said lifting means.

Fig. 33 shows the fourth and final position of said lifting means.

Fig. 34 is a fragmentary perspective of said fifth section or component of the machine in substantially the same position illustrated in Fig. 31.

The bag-making machine which is shown in the drawing may best be described in terms of its several operations, and these operations may best be described in terms of their results. Referring, therefore, to Figs. 2 to of the drawings, it will be seen that a multi-walled or multiplied paper tube lll is provided, of predetermined length. The length of the tube corresponds, substantially, to the length of a single bag. "It will be noted that this tube may be folded flat upon itself, along side folds 42 and M, respectively. There are no gussets or other inwardly turned folds in the sides of this tube. The bottom end 46 of the tube is out off straight, that is, perpendicular to the folded side edges 42 and 44. The upper end is stepped to form straight edges 48 and Ell, respectively, which are parallel to but offset from each other, providing a shoulder 48a. Straight edge 48 projects forwardly or upwardly a predetermined distance beyond straight edge 56. A small tab 52 is formed along straight edge 50, on one side of the tube. It will also be noted that a plurality of holes 54 are formed in the tube in parallel relation to side edge 42. These holes are formed in the process which leads up to the making of tube 40 and they have no significance in the process which is herein claimed.

Holes 56, however, are formed in the course of the process herein claimed and their significance will be discussed in connection with those elements of the machine which provide them. In

the first important step of the claimed process, a.

transverse crease line or folding line 58 is formed in the tube a predetermined distance below and parallel to top edge 50. In the next step of the process, the front wall 613 of the tube is folded back upon itself along folding line 58. The other wall 62 of the tube is retained in unfolded position. Hence, the corners M and 66 of the tube are folded over upon both walls 60 and 62, as shown in Fig. 5. Top edge 48 is thereby caused to fall over upon a line which is parallel to both side edges 62 and 44, as Fig. 5 clearly shows. A part of edge 50 also falls upon a parallel line which is indicated in Fig. 5 by means of the reference character 56a. In a succeeding step of the process, folded edges 68 and H! are pressed or creased to emphasize and perpetuate said folds but folded edges 2 and 14 are not creased because these folds are intended to be temporary. The next step involves scoring and further emphasizing crease Me, which, in the initial stages of the process, constituted a part of folded edge 42. Actually, what is done is to reverse the direction of the fold since if edge 42 be considered to be folded outwardly, crease 42a may be considered to be folded or scored inwardly. Crease 42a extends into wall 62 of the tube as Fig. 26 clearly shows, but it ends along edge '48 as that edge is disposed in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 illustrates the next step in the process, and it will there be seen that a gummed valve fiap i6 is secured to the top of the tube along edge 48, as that edge is shown to be disposed in Fig. 6 and Fig. '7. It will be apparent, therefore, that valve flap- IS extends in parallel relation to side edge 42 and that it is intersected at right angles, centrally thereof, by crease line 42a. In the next stage of the bag making process herein claimed, the folded portion of wall 60 is swung back into parallel and overlying position relative to wall 62. Simultaneously therewith, folded corner 66 is blown outwardly to its original unfolded position, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8. Corner 64, which may be described as the valve corner, remains in its inwardly folded position, being folded along fold lines 68 and i0 and crease line 42a. Folds 6E! and H! are turned upwardly whereas fold or crease 42a is turned inwardly. It will be noted in Fig. 11 that valve flap 16 is also folded along a line 78 which coincides with crease line 42a.

The final steps in the bag-making process now take place. A tape or binding 80 is folded over upon itself and upon bottom edge it of the tube, and it is secured thereto by means of a suitable cement as well as by means of stitching 82. It will be borne in mind that the tube is still in flat position with its Walls fill and 62 disposed fiat against each other. The folded tape or binding 80 receives the lower edges of both walls 60 and 62 of the tube within its fold so that it may be secured ito. both Wallsofhthe tube. at cthe same: time. The tube is nowclosed at .theubottom. A similartape or binding .84 is folded :over: upon itself and .upon the top edge 50. of the tube. Again, cementis used and stitchingtt tocsecurely fasten said tape or binding to the top of the tube and. that, of course, includes the top ends of both walls fifiand 52. Itwill be noted in :Fig. 9 that stitching 86 engages the top ends of foldeducorner St and folded flap It. The bag is now complete and ready for the filling operation.

In orderto fill the bag with cement or fertilizer, or the like, the bagis held inrthe position which it is shown to occupyin Fig. 9, and is. slid over and suspended from a filling-Spout or nozzle.

, The valve opening is the space between walls 60a andfifia on the one hand, and walls 620, and 1th, on the other hand. Crease. or fold 42a and fold 78 close off the bottom of the valve. Stitching fifi closes off thetop ofthe valve. At the conclusion of the filling: operation, the filled bag is withdrawn from the spout or nozzle and the bag is then dropped upon the floor or upon any other suitable horizontal surface. has to which binding 80 is affixed strikes the horizontal surface in the first instance, and it is brought up to a sharp halt. A sudden rush of air is thereby generated within the bag, the direction of the air current being upward and toward the valve opening. The air catches valve walls Ella and 52a and valve fiap I6; The effect ofthis sudden rush of air is to blow valve walls 60d and 52a outwardly as far as they are able to go and, at the same time, the valve flap is crushed into sealing position relative to the space or openingbetween said valve walls. What actu* ally happens, in effect, is that the valve walls and the valve flap are blown and crushed outwardly at the same moment to close and seal the valve opening. The bag proper is made of several plies of relatively stiff paper but the valve fiapis simply a single sheet or strip of relatively thin, pliant paper. The valve flap, therefore, not only helps catch the sudden rush of air, but it alsoserves as a seal for the valve under discussion.

Referring now to the machine I60 on which the This valve may The bottom of the valve bag above described is made, it will be seenthat this machine is provided with a frame I02 on whichall of the working parts hereinafter mentioned are mounted. Supported by the frame is a table surface Ills on which tube 40, as shown in Figs. Z and 3, is initially placed. Guide walls Illil are provided on both sidesof the table to en'- gage side edges d2 and M of thetube and tokeep the tube in longitudinal alignment with the machine. Table legs I88 may be provided to help support the table.

Tube M may be fed manually or by mechanical means. Fig. 1 shows a feeding mechanism which may be employed in connection with the bagmaking machine herein claimed. This mechanism includes a tube pusheror finger Iill which projects upwardly through a longitudinal slot I03 formed in table I24. When this pusher or finger moves forwardly, that is in the direction of arrow [05; it pushes the tube into the operative parts" arrow I22.

arm I22 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft I24.

oflthes: machine whichflwillhereinafter be described. Finger IUI is supportedby a slidably mountedrrod I which is connected to bar I09 by means of linkuI I I. Bar I09 is pivotally mounted on a bracket I I3 which restson the floor. A pulland-push rod 1 I is pivotally secured at one end to bar I095andat its opposite end to a bell crank II'I. Thebell crank is also connected to a rod I I91lwhich is slidably mounted in bearing I 2|. A collar. I23 'is fixed to rod H9 and mounted between saidcollar and bearing I2I is a compression .spring I25 which urges or thrusts the rod upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1. At the upper end of rodIIfi is a cam follower I21 which engages arotating cam I29. When the cam follower is in engagement with the high side of the cam, rod II9-is thrust downwardly against the action of spring I25, and it causes bell crank I I! to engage in clockwise movement. Since the bell crank is linked to rod I09'by means of rod I I5, and since rod 169 is linked to rod It? by means of link II I, this clockwise movement of the bell crank causes rod I09 and rod I0! to move forwardly, that is, rightwardlyas viewed in Fig. 1. And since finger II is mounted on rod IIlI, this forward movement of said rod will cause the finger to move for- Wardly and to push tube forwardly with it. When cam follower I21 engages the low side of cam I29, spring-I25 is enabled to thrust rod H9 upwardly and thereby to cause bell crank II? to turn in counter-clockwise direction. Rod I I5, bar I 29, rod I01 and finger I BI are thereby thrust backwardly (leftwardly as viewed in Fig. 1) preparatory to receiving and pushing the next tube ill forwardly.

The first operative parts of the-machine that the tube encounters are best shown in Figs. 12, 14 and 15. It will be noted in Fig. 12 that spring fingers Iii engage wall 60 of the tube and ten sionally pressthe tube flat against table lfl l. The tube is then fed between roller H2 mounted on a shaft I I4 and resilient roller Hi3 mounted on shaft II8. Shaft IHI rotates in the direction of Shaft H8 is supported on a rocker At one end of rocker arm I22 is a tension spring I26 which tends to pull that end of the rocker arm downwardly and, hence, to turn the arm in clockwise direction about shaft I2-t. The opposite end of rocker arm I22 supports a cam follower I28which rides on a cam I39. Cam I39 is fixed to shaft I I4 and, hence, it rotates with said shaft in the direction of arrow I28. Tube 42 is fed between the two rollers I12 and H2 in the direction of arrow I32. When the cam follower rides on a low part of cam I39, as shown in Fig. 15, spring I26 urges roller [It to swing upwardly against the tube and to press the tube against roller II2.

movement in the direction of arrow I32.

Pins I34 serve as stop members with respect to tube 40 to prevent the tube from moving forwardly beyond a predetermined point until a predetermined time. These stop pinsare fixedly mounted on a shaft I36 which is supported by brackets I38. Also fixed to shaft I36 is a pair of arms I40 which pivotally support a roller I42. Engaging theroller I42 is a rod I l l which rides in a bearing I46 secured to the machine frame I ifia. More specifically, it is a head M3 at the lower end of rod I44 which rests against said roller I42. Between head Idll and bearing Idt is .a compressionspring Iwhich urges said head I48"into pressure engagement with roller M2.

Sinceroller H2 is fixed to shaft lI i, it tends to carry the tube forwardly in further Attached to the opposite end of rod I44 is a member I52, having a slot I54 which accommodates a shaft I55. Within the limitations of slot I54, rod M4 is free to move longitudinally of itself relative to said shaft I56.

A cam follower I58 is mounted on member I52, and it will be noted that said cam follower engages a cam I69. Cam I60 is fixed to shaft I53 and both the cam and the shaft rotate in the direction of arrow I62. When cam follower I58 rides on the high side of cam its, rod Md is thrust upwardly against the action of compression spring I50. This removes the pressure of rod IM on roller I42 and arms I453, shaft I35 and stop pins I 34 are now free to pivot in counter-clockwise direction to the extent that rod its will allow (Fig. 15). This counter-clockwise movement may be effected by means of counterweights or a torsion spring or the like, not shown. The stop pins are now brought to their Fig. 14 positions, which are their operative positions. When cam follower I58 rides on the low side of cam I69, spring I5Ii is free to thrust rod Hi4 downwardly and against roller M2. Since said roller is mounted on arms Idil which are fixed through shaft I35 to stop pins I34, this downward thrust of rod Hi4 will cause the arms and stop pins to swing in clockwise direction about the axis of shaft I35. 'Ihe stop pins are thereby brought to their inoperative positions illustrated in Fig. 15.

There is no mechanical link between rocker arm I22 and the stop pin actuating mechanism last above described. The rotation of cam I3i is, however, synchronized with the rotation of cam I663, so that the movements of the stop pins are synchronized with the action of said rocker arm. Thus, when stop pins I3 8 are in their upright, operative positions of Fig. 144, roller 5 It is in its lower, inoperative position with respect to roller II2. Hence, a space is provided between these two feed rollers to accommodate paper tube II! as Fig. 14 clearly shows. The tube may be pushed forwardly only as far as stop pins ltd will allow. By the same token, when the stop pins move to their. canted inoperative positions of Fig. 15, roller H6 moves upwardly into its operative position with respect to tube 49 and roller I If. Sufficient tensional force is thereby applied to the tube to cause it to move forwardly in the direction of arrow I32 under the influence of roller H2.

Referring now to Figs. 16 to 22, inclusive, it will be seen that roller II2 is a hollow roller or cylinder which contains within its own confines a tube-gripping mechanism which engages the tube and carries it forwardly. This tube-gripping mechanism includes a pair of pointed pins Ill? which are supported by a bracket I12. This bracket is fixed to shaft I M, so that it rotates integrally with said shaft and with roller IE2 which is also fixedly secured to said shaft. Bracket I72 is provided with arms I'M in which pointed pins I'Ifl are slidably mounted. The pointed ends of these pins project in the direction of the periphery of the roller along lines which may be described as chords relative to said periphery. The opposite ends of the pointed pins are provided with heads I'IE; and mounted on said pins between their said heads and adjacent arms I'M of the bracket are compression springs I73, These compression springs tend to urge the pointed pins backwardly and to retract their pointed ends from the periphery of the roller.

Roller H2 is provided with openings I88 through which the pointed ends of pins I'm may be thrust against the action of springs "8. A bracket I82 is secured to the inside of roller II2 adjacent the headed ends of pointed pins I10. A bell crank I84 is pivotally mounted on bracket 82 at I83. One end of said bell crank engages the heads of the pointed pins. The opposite end of the bell crank supports a cam follower I86 which rides upon a fixed cam I88. As roller II2 rotates in the direction of arrow I90 in Fig. 16, the bell crank is caused to engage in a rocking movement by reason of the engagement of its cam follower I with fixed cam I88. Since the opposite end of the bell crank engages the headed ends of the pointed pins, this rocking movement is transmitted to the pins and causes them to engage in reciprocating movement axially of themselves. The bell crank thrusts them forward through openings IBD and springs I18 thrust them backwardly, the forward thrust taking place when cam follower IE8 engages the high side of cam I83 and the backward thrust taking place when said cam follower rides on the low side of said cam.

The action of pins lid is shown in Figs. 19 and 20. It will there be seen that when the pins are thrust forwardly through openings I89, they engage the top of side wall (it of paper tube 40. Holes 56 shown in Fig. 4 are the pinholes which result from the engagement of these pointed pins with side wall 5E The pins project forwardly to engage the tube as it passes between rollers H2 and H6, as shown in Fig. 15. What actually takes place is that the rotation of rollers I I2 and He in frictional engagement with the tube carries the tube forward and feeds it to pointed pins I'Iti which then continue the process of carrying the tube forwardly. Since the pointed pins are mounted on a rotating bracket which turns in the direction of arrow I98 in Fig. 16, there is an upward component to theforward movement of the tube. An upwardly curved ramp I92 (Figs. 12, 14 and 15) assists the pointed pins in carrying the tube upwardly and into the space between rollers H2 and Ifit which cooperate with each other in the manner hereinafter explained.

It has been stated that pointed pins engage side wall 60 of the tube. It may be desired that said pins engage both side walls of the tube, at least in the initial stages of the operations, which rollers H2 and I944 perform. Thus, it may be desired that said pointed pins engage both side walls of the tube in order to facilitate carrying the tube forwardly and upwardly to the point where the two side walls 62.! and 62 of the tube are pulled apart from each other at their respective upper ends. When that point is reached, side wall 62 slips off the ends of the pointed pins and said pins then carry side wall (it! alone, to and through the positions of said side wall which are shown in Figs. 19 and 20.

When the top or leading end of the tube is carried up into engagement with roller I94, tab 52 on side wall 62 slips under a gripper I955 which is pivotally mounted on roller ltd. Roller I94 is fixed to shaft I56 and said shaft and said roller rotate in the direction of arrow its, shown in Fig. 16. When tab et slips under said gripper I95, the gripper acts upon said tab to grip it against roller I94, and since said roller rotates in the opposite direction from the direction of rotation of roller I I2, the effect of such gripping action upon the tab of the tube is to pull side wall 62 of the tube off pointed pins I'III and to carry said side wall 62 to and through the positions which it is shown to occupy in Figs. 19 and 20.

' 206 in engagement with cam 206.

Since side wall60 is engaged by pins I10 on roller H2 and since side wall 62 is engaged by gripper I96 on roller I04, the effect is to open up the top of the tube in the manner shown in Figs. 19

and 20.

The mechanism which actuates the gripper is clearly shown in Figs. 16 and 17. It will there be seen that gripper I96 is fixed to ashaft 202 to which an arm 204 is also fixed. Gripper I96, shaft 202 and arm 204 cooperate with each other in the manner of a bell crank and they may be considered to constitute a bell crank. Arm 204 carries a cam follower 206 which is engageable with two separate spaced cams 208 and 2I0, respectively. These cams may be adjustably mounted so as to change their positions relative to each other and relative to the other components of the machine to which they are functionally linked. Fig. 16 shows the cam follower The cam follower is held in tensioned engagement with the cam by means of tension spring 2I2, which is attached at one end to a ring 2 I4 on the inside of roller I94 and which is attached at its opposite end to an arm 2I6 on shaft 202. The combination of arms 204 and 2I6 and shaft202 constitutes, in effect, a bell crank, so that the action of the spring on arm 2I 6 urges the cam follower on arm 204 to ride against cam 206. By the same token, the combination of arm 2 I6, shaft 202 and gripper I96 is also a bell crank arrangement wherein spring 2 I2, acting upon arm 2 I6, tends to hold the gripper I96 in tensioned engagement with the peripheral surface of roller I94. -It will be noted in Fig. 17 that cam 208 has a high spot 200a and two low sides flanking said high spot. When the cam follower engages the low sides of cam 208, as witness Fig. 16, the cam pressure on the cam follower is insufiicient torelieve the tensioned pressure which the gripper exerts, either upon roller I94 proper, or upon tab: 52 which may be. interposed between said gripper and said roller. 'As the cam follower approaches high spot 200a, however, increased cam pressure is applied to the cam follower and consequently, the action of spring 2I2 is overcome and the gripper is moved away from the roller to open or inoperative position. i

It has been stated that pointed pins I10 engage the top end of paper tube 40 and carry the tube up into the space which separates rollers I I2 and I94.

follower 206 engages the high' spot on cam 208. It is, at this time, that the gripper is in open position and ready to receive the tab in the space which separates said gripper from the outer peripheral surface of the roller. The cam follower then rides off the high spot on the cam and the pressure of the cam upon the cam follower diminshes to the extent necessaryto allow spring 2 I2 to take over and to cause the gripper to grip the tab 52 against the peripheral surface of the roller. Since the tab is attached to side wall 62 of the paper tube. and notto side wall 60 thereof, the effect of this gripping action upon the tab, in combination with the pinning action of pointed pins I10, and the opposite rotation of the two rollers I I2 and I94, is to cause the paper tube to open up in the manner shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the gripper pulling wall 62 in one direction and the. two pins pulling wall 60 in the opposite direction. I

. Rollers II2 and I94 perform another function in addition tothe function of opening up the top Tab .52 is thereby brought into engagement with gripper I96 at the very moment that cam of the paper tube. It will be noted that a sector 2I8 is provided in a cut-out 220 in roller H2 and that a corresponding sector 222 is providedin a corresponding cut-out 224 in roller I64. Sector H8 is rotatably mounted on shaft lit and it is provided with a slotted arcuate arm 226 which is adjustably secured by means of a screw 228 to spoke 230 of roller I I2. It is by this means that sector 2I8 may be adjustably positioned in an angular sense relative to shaft Iii and roller II2. Sector 222 may also be adjustably mounted for selective angular positioning relaive to shaft I96 and roller I94. The same adjusting means may here be provided as sector 2I8 is shown to have. It will be seen that sector 2I6 is provided with a plurality of spaced, parallel notches 232, any one of which is adapted to receive and hold a scoring blade 234. Corresponding notches 236 are formed in sector 222, and it will be understood that the two sectors may be adjusted. relative to each other in such manner that their respective notches will register with each other, when the two rollers bring them opposite each other. When such registration takes place, and reference is here made particularly to registration of scoring blade 234 with corresponding notch 236, score line 58 will be formed in paper tube 60. The location of the score line is determined by the location of the scoring blade, and it will be understood that the scoring blade may be mounted in any one of the four notches or slots 232, shown in the drawing.

It will be seen from the foregoing that rollers H2 and I94 not only carry the paper tube forwardly and upwardly, but they also form score line 58 and, at the same time,.they begin the process of opening up the top of the paper tube preparatory to arriving at the bag-making stage illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The tube-opening process is clearly shown in Figs. 19 to 22, inclusive. It will there be seen that pointed pins I10 pull the top end of side wall 60 in one direction, at the same time that gripper I96 pulls the top end of side wall 62 in the opposite direction. When the paper tube is opened to the extent shown in Fig. 20, the upper corners of the tube tend to pull inwardly and toward each other. This condition is clearly shown in Figs. 21 and 22 where the corners are designated by means of the reference characters 04 and 66, respectively. Shortly before the stage illustrated in Fig. 21 is reached, pointed pins I10 are retracted into roller II2 and they thereby disengage and release the paper tube. Gripper I96, however, remains clamped upon tab 52 until a later stage in the process is attained. It will be noted in Fig. 21 that a pair of arms 238 and 240, respectively, project upwardly from shaft II4, on both sides or at both ends of said roller I I2. These two arms are fixed against rotation with said shaft and they are always maintained in the positions which they are shown to occupy in Fig. 21. Arms 236 and 240 support a bar 242 which extends longitudi nally of roller II2, parallel to shaft H4. Adjustably mounted on bar 242 are two presser arms 204 and 246, respectively. These presser arms may comprise a pair of leaf springs and they are positioned to exert a pressing action upon the outwardly pulled portion of side wall 60 of the paper tube. Theeffect of this pressing action is to fold that portion of side wall 60 which lies above score line 50 over and back upon that portion of said wall which lies below said score line. The result of this action is shown in Fig. 5.

It has been stated that corners 64 and 66 of tube.

the paper tube fold inwardly and toward each other, at the same time that the top portion of side wall 60 is folded over along score line 58. Means are provided forpressing these inwardly turned or folded corners until they lie flat upon the tube in the mannershown in Fig. 5. These pressing means comprise a relatively large roller 248 and a relatively small roller 25!] which are mounted on shaft 252. Shaft 252 .is maintained at all times in the position which it is shown to occupy in Figs. 19 to 22, inclusive. It extends longitudinally of rollerlild and it is parallel to shaft I 98. It will be noted in Figs. 12 and 21 that a curved guide plate254, supported by a rod 256, tends to flatten out the inwardly turned or folded corner t4 preparatory to the pressing action upon said corner of roller..248. This roller presses the corner downflat as Fig. 22 shows and a pair of sharply accentuatedfolds or creases 68 and 10 result. Roller .250 engages the inwardly turned or folded cornerlit, also as Fig. 22 clearly shows, and it also folds said corner flat upon thepaper But inasmuch. as roller 250 is somewhat smaller in diameter than roller. 248, the pressing operation which it performs does notactually crease folds l2 and 14 .ofv corner fifito .the same extent as folds 6t and '58 are creased. The reason is that folds .58 and '10 are permanent, .at least as long as the .bagrmaking process endures. Folds l2 and M, on the other hand, are temporary and as Fig. 8..clearly shows, they disappear in that stage of the bag-making process which re- .sults in the condition shown in Figs. 8. and 11.

It is the rotation of. roller I94. in the direction of arrow 2% that carries the paper tube forwardly between the two rollers (Figs. 16, 1'7, 19). When roller lMreaches the position which it is shown to occupy in Fig. 18, cam follower 2st engages cam fllland causes gripper I96 to open against the action of spring 282. This releases tab 52 of the paper tube and the tube is thereby rendered freeto continue its. forward movement.

Turning noWtoFigs. 23. and 24, it will be seen that after thepaper tube passes between rollers 248 and.25il,.on theone. hand, and roller I94, on the other hand,.it moves upon table 258 and it is held flat upon said table by means of a pair of presser feet 2%. and .262, respectively. These presser feet are simplyvv curved bars or leaf springs which are supported by. fixed bar 266. Bar 2% is parallel toshaft .252 and both, are supported on frame it]? of the machine asFig. 23 clearly shows. Presser foot .268 engages folded corner ti t of the papertube. and presser foot 262 engages corner 66.

The next element of the bag-makingmachine which the paper tube encountersis an arcuate presser 2% which is supported by a bracket 2&2 on shaft are. A counter weight .212 is also .providedon said shaft flil diametrically opposite arcuate presser platett fi. plate 2% is to. further emphasize or crease folded edges 68 and ill of folded corner t l. There is no corresponding .presser plate on the other side of the machine to act upon folded edges 12 and ill of corner 66.

It will be noted that wheels or pulleys 211 i and 2% are secured inv spaced relation to each other to shaft 2%. The distance between these two wheels or pulleys is exceeded by the width of the paper tube so that as the tube is carried under said wheels or pulleys, the side edges of said tube are engaged by said wheels or pulleys as Fig. 24 clearly shows. -An endless belt Zlil is mounted on .pulleyf'l i and an endless belt 280 is mounted The function of presser on pulley 216. It will be understood, therefore,

that it is actually the belts themselves, rather than the pulleys on which they are mounted, that engage the side edges of the paper tube. .Immediately below pulleys 2M and 218 is another pair of pulleys 282': and 28 1, respectively, an -which are mounted endless'belts 2% and 288, respectively. Pulleys 282 and 284 are mounted on.a shaft 293 which lies directly below and parallel to shaft 27ft. When the paper bag is carried forwardly from its position in Fig. 23, it moves between the upper and lower belts as Fig. 24. clearly shows, and it is then carried forwardly by. said belts through the remaining stages of the .bagmaking process. The direction of rotation of upper pulleys 2M and 2'16 is indicated byzarrow. 292 and the direction of rotation of lower.pulley;282 and 28:3 is in the direction of arrow 294. The lower reach or run of belts 2T8 and280 travels in the direction of arrow 2% as does the upperreach or run of belts 236 and 288. It is bymeans of these portions of the several belts that the paper tube is carried forwardly through the remaining stages of the process. It will be noted that mounted between pulleys 232 andft l is a roller 2%. The function which this roller performs is to support the moving paper tube during the creasing stage of the process in which arcuate presser plate 266 creases folded edges 68 and'lfl of corner 64 of the paper tube.

The next stage of the bag-making processis illustrated in Figs. 6, 25 and 26. The paper tube is carried forwardly by the several belts, above mentioned to the station represented byrollers 32M? and 3&2, mounted respectively, on. shafts 3M and 32%. A bracket S83 is adjustably secured to shaft E2 5 and a second bracketfilil .is adjustably secured to shaft 306. A scoring blade 3|.2 is adjustably secured to bracket3il8 by means .of screw or screws 3M and a grooved member 3H3, adapted to receive the scoring blade, is securedto bracket tit. Shaft 30 1, bracket 388 androller 38B rotate in the direction of arrow 358 and roller bracket 3 Hi and shaft 3% rotate in the direction of arrow 32%. The twobrackets are positioned on their respective shafts in such manner that scoring blade'3 l 2 registers with groove 322m grooved block Bit, when the shafts reach their Fig. 25 positions. It is, at this time, thatthe folded paper tube reaches the position which itis shown to occupy in Fig. 26. Scoring bladeSiZ engages the paper tube and forms score line 42a, shown in Fig. 6. The paper tube is now ready for the next stage of operations.

The paper tube is now carried to the station, shown in Fig. 27 where the valve flap I6 .is applied. -A bracket 32 i is mounted on.table 258 and a block 326 is-mounted on said bracket. .A frame 333} is supported by block 325 and a bracket 332 is supported by said frame 332 At the top .of bracket 332 is a shaft 334 which carries a reel 336 of gummed paper tape 338. This tape, which eventually becomes valve flap it when it is cut to predetermined lengths, is fed downwardlyin the manner shown in Fig. 27. It passes between a pair of rollers sac and 342, mounted on shafts 344 and respectively. The gummed tape continues downwardly and passes between another pair of rollers 348 and 3593, respectively, mounted on shafts 3fi2and'35d. The directionsof rotation of the four rollerslast mentioned, are indicated by the curved arrows onsaid rollers in Fig. 27. As the rollers rotate in the directions shown, they feed the gummed tape downwardly-tattle 13] station where it is moistened preparatory to its application to the paper tube.

Roller 350 is a drive roller which carries the burden of drawing the gummed tape from the roll of tape and feeding it downwardly. Rollers 340 and 348 may also. constitute drive rollers to facilitate feeding the gummed tape. Mounted on roller 35%] is a cut-off blade or knife 356 which may be serrated. This cut-off knife cuts the gummed tape to predetermined lengths, and it operates once on each complete revolution. The gummed tape is fed past a spray nozzle 358 which sprays the tape with water under air pressure. The leading end of the moistened tape is then eng-aged between a roller 368 and an arcuate pressing sector 362. Roller 368 ismounted on a shaft 364- and sector 362 is mounted on a shaft 366. A counter-weight 368 is provided for the sector. Arrow 318 indicates the direction of rotation of roller 3'68 and shaft 364, and arrow 312 indicates the direction of rotation of shaft 366 and sector 3-62. To insure a positive feed of the cut length of tape to the station where it is applied to the paper tube, a pair of pins 314 are provided in sector 362. These pins are secured to arms 376 which are mounted on shaft 318 carried by the sector. A cam follower 336 is provided on arms 6% and said cam follower rides on a fixed cam 382. A compression spring 364 is mounted on each pin 314. between arms 316 and sector 362. The action of these springs is to retract pins'3'l4 and these pins are retracted when the cam follower 388 engages the low side of cam 382. When it engages the high side of said cam, however, the pins are thrust forward against the action of springs 384 and into engagement with the moistened tape. (See Fig. 2'7.)

The moistened tape is applied to the paper tube when the. tube passes between sector 362 and roller 386 as Fig. 27 clearly shows. Roller 386 is mounted on shaft 388 and it is provided with annular grooves 390 to accommodate the pointed ends of pins 314. It may be here stated that roller 360 is correspondingly grooved to accommodate the same pins. The annular grooves formed in roller 360 are designated by means of the reference character 39!. As the paper tube moves between said grooved roller 386 and arcuate pressing sector 362, the moistened tape is applied to the tube as Fig. 7 clearly shows. The reference character 16 in Fig. 7 indicates the valve flap which is simply a predetermined length of gummed tape 338 applied to the paper tube.

Spray nozzle 35!! is supported on a holder 332 which is mounted on a bar 394. This bar is sup ported by clamps 396 and 398 which are mounted on rod 460. Clamp 402 and a second clamp 404 secure rod 488 to rod 466. Bar 384 is longitudinally and angularly adjustable in clamp 39!; and

clamp 398 is adjustable longitudinally and angularly of rod 488. Clamps 462 and 484 render rod 400 adjustable longitudinally and angularly of rod 486. Hence, the spray nozzle may be shifted to any desired location relative to the gummed tape so as to focus its spray in the right direction and at the right place.

A waterhose 468 and an air hose 410 are connected to spray nozzle 358. The water hose is connected to a water tank M2 and the air hose is connected to a valve 414 which, in turn, is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) through hose 4l6. It will be noted in Fig. 29. that valve M4 is mounted adjacent a wheel 4I8. Adjustably mounted on this wheel is apair of arcuate valve control plates or cams 426 and 422, respectively. Cam plate 426 is situated for engagement with what may be described as cam follower 424 on valve 414. Wheel M8 is. mounted on shaft 426 and both the wheel and the shaft engage in rotary movement in the direction of arrow 428. When the wheel is in the position which it is shown to occupy in Fig. 29., arcuate cam plate 426 engages cam follower 4241 and valve M4 is thereby opened. A rush of compressed air takes place through hose 4H] and the water is forced out of the nozzle in the form of a spray. Valve 4I4 automatically closes when arcuate cam plate 428 moves out of engagement with cam follower 424. Arcuate cam plate 422 performs the same function with respect to cam follower 430 on air valve 432. A hose 434 connects said Valve 432 to a source of air under pressure and a second hose 436 connects said valve 432 to a second nozzle 438 (Fig. 34) for a purpose which will shortly appear.

The paper tube 46 is now in the condition of Fig. 7. In the next stage of the process herein claimed, two events take place. In the first place, the folded end of side wall 66 is brought out of folded position as shown in Fig. 7 and returned to unfolded position as shown in Fig. 8. In the second place, folded corner 66 is returned to its original unfolded position as shown in Fig. 8. The first operation is mechanical in the sense that a lifting plate 446 is inserted underneath the folded end of side wall 68 to lift said folded end into unfolded position. The second operation maybe described as a blowing operation in the course of which a blast of compressed air is blown into the folded corner 66 to blow it into unfolded position.

Taking the second operation first, it will be seen in Fig. 34 that the blowing operation takes place through the instrumentality of nozzle 438. When arcuate cam plate 422 engages cam follower 436, it opens valve 432 and causes a blast of air to issue from nozzle 436 into the inside of folded corner as under sufficient pressure to open said folded corner and to return it to its original unfolded position.

Referring now to the lifting operation above mentioned, it will be seen that lifting plate 448 is mounted on a rocking arm 442 which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends by means of pin 444 on arm 446. The lower end of arm 448 is bifurcated to receive rocking arm 442 as Fig. 34 clearly shows. The top end of arm 446 is fastened to a bracket 448 which is adjustably secured to a shaft 453. It will be noted that shaft 45d is supported by the frame I02 of the machine and that a crank arm 452 is secured to one end of said shaft. A drive rod 454 is attached at its upper end to crank arm 452; at its lower end, it is attached to an eccentric 456. The eccentric causes thedrive rod 454 to engage in reciprocating movement and this reciprocating movement is transmitted through crank arm 452 to shaft 456. It is then transmitted through said shaft to arm 446 and through said arm to the lifting plate 446..

The manner in which and, the means by which the reciprocating angular movement of shaft 456 is transmitted to arm 446 are not critical. The simplest way would be to fixedly secure bracket 443 to shaft 456 so that said bracket and said shaft will move integrally with each other. Another way would be to allow the shaft to move relative to the bracket and to provide a torsion spring 458 which would be fixed at one end to the shaft and at its opposite end to the bracket. The reciprocating movement. of the shaft. would thereby be transmitted to the bracket through the torsion spring. A third way would be to mount bracket 44% loosely upon the shaft and to fix a collar 459 to said shaft immediately adjacent the bracket. Collar Mill has an offset portion or shoulder 462 which is engageable with a stud 4E4 on bracket 448. When shaft 450 turns in one direction, shoulder 462 will engage stud 464 and cause bracket 448, and with it arm 446, to turn in the same direction. So far as .movement of bracket 448 and arm 446 in the opposite direction is concerned, gravity may be ample to perform the function of returning said bracket and said arm to their original positions. In such case, torsion spring 458 would serve solely as a frictional element to dampen or slow down the gravity-actuated movement of bracket 448 and arm 445. One end of the spring would bear against bracket 443 and the opposite end would bear against collar 466 which is fixed to shaft 450.

It will be seen in Fig. 34 that lifting plate 4% is secured to one end of rocking arm 442. At the opposite end of the rocking arm is a cam follower 468 which rides upon a fixed cam 418. It will be noted that fixed cam 410 is secured to a bracket M2 which is mounted on frame I02 of the machine. A tension spring 414 is attached at one end to rocking arm 442, between its fulcrum 444 and cam follower 463, and it is attached at its opposite end to arm 445, a spaced distance above said fulcrum 144. The action of this spring is to hold the cam follower in uninterrupted engagement withthe cam.

The action of the lifting plate is shown in Figs. 30 to 33, inclusive. At the start of one complete cycle or stroke, the lifting plate is in its elevated position, shown in Fig. 30. Its movement is downward in the direction of arrow 416 and it is also arcuate about the longitudinal axis of shaft 359. This movement continues until the lifting plate slips under the folded top end of side wall til of the paper tube. (See Fig. 31.) Cam follower 468 now engages prominence 478 of cam till and rocking arm 442 is caused to engage in counter-clockwise movement about fulcrum 444 as viewed in Fig. 32. This tends to elevate the lifting plate as it moves forwardly and it thereby unfolds the folded top end of said side wall Fill. In the final stage of this operation, cam follower 483 rides off prominence 418 and rocking arm 4&2 is thereby caused to engage in clockwise movement about its fulcrum 444 under the influenoe of spring M4. The lifting plate is thereby brought downwardly to help flatten out the now unfolded top end of side Wall 60. It should be remembered that as this process takes place, the paper tube moves continuously forwardly in the direction of arrow 486 in Fig. 30. Arm 446 now swings backwardly to its Fig. 30 position and one complete stroke or cycle is at an end.

It will be understood that when the unfolding process reaches the intermediate stage,' illustrated in Figs. 29 and 34%, valve 432 opens and a blast of air issues forth from nozzle 438 and into the partly opened and partly closed corner 66 of the paper tube. This blast of air has the effect of completely openin said corner and returning it to its unfolded position. (See Fig. 8.) Once this is done, the stage shown in Fig. 32 follows and then the final stage shown in Fig. 33.

The paper tube 4i! now leaves the machine preparatory to the taping and sewing operations which close the ends of the tube to complete the bag. The endless belts 278, 280', 286 and 288 continue to carry the tube to upper rollers 482, 484, 486, and lower rollers 488, 490 and 492, respectively. It will be understood that the paper tube passes between the upper and lower rollers in order to receive the final pressing force required to emphasize and crease the folded edges shown in Fig. 8. The tube is now complete and ready for the taping and sewing operations above mentioned. It may here be stated that tab 52 which played such a prominent role in the process above described now performs an equally important part in strengthening the upper end of the bag. It will be understood that tab 52 is folded over upon side wall Bil at the time tape 84 is applied and sewed to the top end of the tube and the same stitching which secures said tape to said tube, also secures tab to side wall 69 of the tube. Although only one tab is shown in the drawing, it will be understood that more than one tab may be used purely for reinforcing purposes.

The operating mechanism or driving mechanism by which the machine above described is operated is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 13. It will there be seen that the several shafts of the machine are geared to each other for synchronization of their respective movements.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A method of making a valve bag of the gussetless type which comprises the following steps: scoring a fiat paper tube transversely of itself a spaced distance below its intended valve end, folding that portion of one side wall of said tube which lies between said end and the score line back upon the remaining portion of said side wall which lies on the other side of said score line and simultaneously folding the corners of said tube inwardly and upon the folded portion of said last mentioned side wall as well as upon the corresponding portion of the other side wall, applying a valve flap to the inner edge of only one of said inwardly folded corners, returning the folded portion of the first mentioned side wall to its original unfolded position and, at the same time, leaving the last mentioned folded corner in folded position and returning the other folded corner to its original unfolded position, and then closing the two ends of the paper tube by securing a binding to each end.

2. A method of making a valve bag of the gussetless type which comprises the following steps: scoring a flat paper tube transversely of itself a spaced distance below its intended valve end, folding that portion of one side wall of said tube which lies between said end and the score line back upon the remaining portion of said side wall which lies on the other side of said score line and simultaneously folding the corners of said tube inwardly and upon the folded portion of said last mentioned side wall as well as upon the corresponding portion of the other side Wall, creasing the folded edges of one of said folded corners to flatten said folded corner upon the two side Walls, scoring said folded corner on a transverse line which substantially coincides With the first score line, applying a valve flap to said inwardly folded and scored corner along its inner edge, returning the folded portion of the first mentioned side wall to its original unfolded position and, at the same time, folding the inwardly folded and scored corner along the second score line to fold said inwardly folded corner fiat upon itself, and simultaneously returning the other folded corner to its original unfolded position, and then closing the two ends of the paper tube by binding each end.

3. In a bag-making machine, wherein valve bags of the gussetless type are made from flat paper tubes, scoring means for transversely scoring a paper tube a spaced distance from its intended valve end, a folding means which folds that portion of one side Wall of the paper tube which lies between said end and the score line back upon the remaining portion of the same side wall which lies on the other side of said score line, whereby the two top corners of the tube are folded inwardly, simultaneously therewith, upon the folded portion of said last mentioned side wall and upon the corresponding portion of the other side wall, means for applying a length of gummed paper tape to the inner edge of only one of said folded corners, lifting means for lifting the folded portion of the first mentioned side wall back to its original unfolded state, and a blower which blows a current of air into the other folded corner to blow it out to its original unfolded state.

4. In a bag-making machine in accordance with claim 3, wherein the lifting means comprises a shaft mounted for oscillatory angular movement, a downwardly projecting arm which is conto rock at the same time that the angular movement of the shaft causes said first mentioned arm, said rocking arm, said lifting plate and said cam follower to engage in angular movement about the axis of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,527,467 Bushbaum Feb. 24, 1925 1,583,392 Coty May 4, 1926 1,780,720 Redington Nov. 4, 1930 2,189,847 Verwys Feb. 13, 1940' 2,265,075 Knuetter Dec. 2, 1941 2,296,146 Crawford Sept. 15, 1942 2,559,873 Grupe et a1 July 10, 1951 

